Flexible licensing architecture for licensing digital application

US7801821B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Microsoft Corporation · US

Inventors

• Cecil Ray Brooks · Mill Creek, US
• Jay Girotto · Kirkland, US
• Caglar Gunyakti · Sammamish, US
• Todd Haugen · Bellevue, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 4, 2005
• Grant date: Sep 21, 2010
• Expiry date: Oct 21, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC —): General

Abstract

An application includes a plurality of features. A transaction is engaged with a retailer to obtain a product license corresponding to the application. The product license defines at least one feature of the application that may be employed. A base copy of the application is obtained from a distributor and is actuated. A use license corresponding to the product license is acquired from a licensor by way of the actuated application sending the product license to the licensor along with an identification of at least one of a user, the computing device, and a trusted component operating on the computing device, where the use license includes feature policy granting rights to employ each feature defined in the product license.